Interieur mit stillender Mutter 1787

Aletta de Freij rendered this intimate scene of a mother breastfeeding her child, a universal symbol of nurturing and the primal bond between parent and offspring. It resonates with the age-old motif of the Madonna and Child, echoing the sacred, life-giving essence of motherhood. Yet, this image transcends religious iconography. The vulnerability and tenderness of the scene connect to earlier visual representations of maternal care in folklore and classical art. Think of the Roman goddess Juno suckling Hercules, or the Egyptian goddess Isis nursing Horus. The act of breastfeeding becomes a symbol laden with cultural and emotional weight, passed down through generations. Consider the cyclical progression of this image – it resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in different historical contexts, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. In de Freij's hands, the Madonna is transformed into a domestic image of a mother breastfeeding her baby.